After hubby was injured in 1992 and had had 2 - 3 surgeries on a badly injured knee joint, the doctor's said the xrays showed it had healed and that there could be no pain. The slightest touch on his knee sent him through the ceiling.

In 1997 they finally said okay, they'd do a knee replacement because he had bone on bone contact and could barely walk. My husband is NOT a cronic complainer, and I could tell he was in pain. No one can fake it for that long without a slip up.

I'd come home from work and find him sprawled on the floor, his knee wasn't supporting him, after several trips to the doctor who did the last surgery, he said, (the doctor said) that my hubby couldn't possibly be in pain because his work was perfect! This poor man couldn't even stand to wear long pants, a breeze moving the hair on his leg put him in tears.

We finally got him an appointment with a pain management doctor, who after a mere 5 minutes in his office told us what was wrong, and started treatment that week. After three shots in the spine and about a dozen down his leg, the pain went away. He could wear jeans again, he was able to walk without a cane for the first time in years...he was diagnosed with RSD...and it CAN be treated!

He has since gone back to using the cane for support, it's coming up on time for another knee replacement but the doctors aren't sure its the best move because he is diabetic and probably wouldn't heal real well. There are also other health and mobility concerns that don't make him a good candidate for surgery. But he hasn't had to go back to the pain management doctor, that part of his treatment is still working....thank goodness.